The present invention relates to a method of storing and displaying error information so as to utilize the information for maintaining a photographic printer.
In current photographic printers an error message is indicated in a display attached to the photographic printer each time a fault or trouble occurs in the printer. Some kinds of errors, caused by faults such as burn-out of a printing lamp, need preparation or adjustment which can be carried out only by a maintenance service staff of the manufacturer. With such errors, the service staff asks the operator what kind of error has occurred. The staff then tries to fix the printer based on the operator s explanation. Also, in routine maintenance, the service staff usually requires the operator to explain the operational condition of the printer before checking or adjusting each section of the printer.
In order to fix the printer completely, it is important to know the record of past errors, namely the history of errors besides the present error. However, most operators cannot remember all the past error messages, or cannot explain past errors accurately.